Students agitate at Al Kabir Polytechnic. A file picture

Jamshedpur, Aug. 8: Polytechnic students, around 5,000 in the state, may heave a sigh of relief following the announcement that their examination would start from of August 17.

The State Technical Education Board has announced that the examination will conclude on September 6. However, enough scope for doubt remains as this is the third date announced by the government in three months.

Allaying the fear of the students, science and technology minister Chandra Prakash Choudhary, while assuring that this time the examinations would be held as per schedule, said from next year the session will be regularised. He also announced that from next year the exams will be held at decentralised centres.

A tug-of-war between Choudhary and former departmental secretary Mridula Sinha over the issue of home centre is said to be one of the reasons for the delay in conducting the exam. While Choudhary wanted home centre, Mridula pitched her voice for decentralised centres for the exam. Ultimately the students’ wish prevailed and this year the examinations would be held at the home centres.

“The issue of home centre is not new. While the ministers do not want to annoy students, secretaries always favour decentralised centres so that chances of malpractice could be minimised. Students feel comfortable taking examination in their home centres as they can indulge in unfair means which is a little difficult at other centres,” said a teacher of a polytechnic college.

Other reasons for the delay in announcing examination dates have been attributed to the transfer of the controller of examinations at the last minute. “Question papers could not be set on time which resulted in frequent postponement of the examinations. Transfer of controller of examinations at the eleventh hour is also a reason for the delay,” sources alleged.